Tag: David Mayo

Commanders open 21-day practice window for LB Cody Barton

The Commanders could be getting back linebacker Cody Barton soon. Barton struggled before his Week 7 injury.

The Washington Commanders could be getting some help back for their struggling defense.

Washington announced it opened the 21-day practice window for starting linebacker Cody Barton. Barton signed a one-year deal last offseason and started the Commanders’ first seven games before he was injured in Week 7. Barton played every snap until his injury.

With the practice window open, Washington has 21 days to either reinstate Barton to the 53-man roster or place him on season-ending injured reserve. When a team opens the practice window, they are often close to a return.

Barton, much like the rest of Washington’s defense, struggled. However, his best game of the season came in Week 6 against Atlanta, the week before he was injured. Pro Football Focus has given Barton a grade of 45.6 on the season.

The Commanders have primarily used veteran David Mayo in place of Barton. Washington will need to decide quickly on Barton if it wants him to play in Week 12 as the Commanders play the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day.

Commanders LB Cody Barton ruled out with an ankle injury

Cody Barton is out with an injury.

In the first quarter of Washington’s Week 7 game with the New York Giants, starting middle linebacker Cody Barton went down with an ankle injury. He did not return in the first half.

Now, the Commanders have ruled Barton out for the remainder of the game.

Barton, in his first season with Washington, has struggled. However, he has been an ironman for the Commanders this season, playing every defensive snap through the first six games. Barton had his best performance in the Week 6 win at Atlanta, finishing with 15 tackles.

Naturally, with Barton out, you’d expect defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio to go with Khaleke Hudson. Instead, Del Rio turned to veteran David Mayo, who was busy, picking up nine tackles in the first half.

Behind Enemy Lines: Week 7 Q&A with Commanders Wire

With a Week 7 matchup between the New York Giants and Washington Commanders on tap, we go behind enemy lines for a chat with Commanders Wire.

The New York Giants (1-5) and Washington Commanders (3-3) will square off on Sunday afternoon in a Week 7 matchup at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

The Giants opened the week as 1.5-point home underdogs but that has only gotten worse since then. They are +3 as of this writing.

With this matchup on tap, Giants Wire took the opportunity to hold a Q&A with Commanders Wire managing editor Bryan Manning.

Commanders re-sign linebacker David Mayo for 2023

David Mayo is back in 2023.

Friday, the Washington Commanders announced they have re-signed linebacker David Mayo.

The former Carolina Panthers linebacker drafted in the 5th round (169 overall) in the 2015 NFL draft by Ron Rivera and the Panthers, re-signed for a one-year contract extension.

Mayo, a veteran of 115 NFL regular season games and 26 starts at linebacker, has defended five passes, forced a fumble, recovering two fumbles. He has been in on 12 tackles for a loss, three QB sacks, and three QB hits. He has contributed 236 tackles (143 solo and 93 assisted).

After spending his first four NFL seasons with the Panthers (2005-2018), Mayo was with the NY Giants (2019 and 2020) and has now spent the last two seasons with Washington (2021-2022).

With the injury to the foot of starter Cole Holcomb, Mayo again was thrust into the starting lineup three games while also receiving snaps on 13 games during this last 2022 season.

Mayo will turn age 30 in August, while other linebackers who saw action for the 2022 Commanders include Jamin Davis (24), Cole Holecomb (26), Milo Eifler (25), Nate Gerry (28), Khaleke Hudson (25), DeJon Harris (25) and Jon Bostic (31).

No financial terms of the contract have yet to be released.

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Commanders LB concern: Cole Holcomb to IR

Cole Holcomb was placed on IR, and he will be out for a minimum of four weeks.

Linebacker Cole Holcomb’s foot injury is not progressing; consequently, the starting linebacker has been placed on injured reserve.

Holcomb the sturdy linebacker out of North Carolina, started the Commanders first seven games of the season. The loss of Holcomb is substantial, evidenced by the fact that though Holcomb has been unable to play in the last four games, the former Tar Heel still leads the team in combined tackles (solo and assists) with 69.

Jamin Davis has continued to develop, or this loss of Holcomb would have been an absolute disaster. Davis has played in all 11 games and is second in tackles with 58 (38 solo, 20 assists).

Placing Holcomb (a four-year veteran) on the reserve/injured list, Friday, the Commanders activated LB Milo Eifler from the Reserve/Injured list. Eifler stands 6-foot-1 weighing 228. Thus Eifler is more mobile than Holcomb, Jon Bostic, or David Mayo.

Eifler has appeared in two games for the Commanders in 2022. He did not play any defensive snaps in the loss to the Cowboys in Week 4 while playing 13 special teams’ plays. In the Week 3 loss to the Eagles, Eifler played 19 special teams’ plays and six defensive plays.

Of note, three weeks ago, the Commanders in response to the Holcomb injury, brought up LB De’Jon Harris from the practice squad. Harris is bigger at 6-foot-0, 245 pounds. In weeks 9-11, Harris has played 19, 20 and 21 special teams snaps. He has yet to play a down on defense for the Commanders this season.

The Commanders will go into Sunday’s contest against the Falcons with Davis, Bostic, Eifler, Harris, Khaleke Hudson and David Mayo at linebacker.

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Commanders inactives for Week 10 vs. Eagles

Cole Holcomb is among Washington’s inactive players for its Monday Night Football game vs. the Eagles.

The Washington Commanders announced their inactive list ahead of the Monday Night Football clash against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Here is Washington’s complete list:

  • No. 23 RB J.D. McKissic
  • No. 37 CB Rachad Wildgoose
  • No. 41 RB Jonathan Williams
  • No. 51 LB David Mayo
  • No. 55 LB Cole Holcomb
  • No. 75 G Chris Paul
  • No. 85 TE Cole Turner

Holcomb [foot], McKissic [neck] and Mayo [hamstring] are out with injuries. This is the third consecutive game Holcomb will miss. Mayo, his top backup, will miss his second consecutive game. McKissic is also out for the second straight week. The Commanders are playing it safe with McKissic.

In some good news, wide receiver Jahan Dotson is back after missing five games. Rookie tight end Cole Turner is inactive again, with Washington going with Logan Thomas, John Bates and fellow rookie Armani Rogers.

Here is the Eagles’ inactive list:

Commanders’ Week 9 inactive list vs. Vikings

The Commanders announce their inactive list for Week 9 vs. Vikings.

The Washington Commanders have released their inactive list ahead of Sunday’s Week 9 game against the Minnesota Vikings. The inactive list features few surprises, with the Commanders battling a number of injuries.

Here’s the complete inactive list:

  • WR Jahan Dotson
  • RB J.D. McKissic
  • LB Cole Holcomb
  • LB David Mayo
  • G Chris Paul
  • TE Cole Turner
  • DE Shaka Toney

Dotson is missing his fifth consecutive game with a hamstring injury. Holcomb is missing his second straight game with a foot injury. Mayo is Holcomb’s backup and is out with a hamstring injury. McKissic was listed on the injury report with a neck injury, which is concerning since he missed time late last season with neck and shoulder injuries.

Turner missed last week’s game due to a concussion he suffered in the Week 7 win over Green Bay.

Final injury report for Commanders vs. Vikings, Week 9

The final injury report is out, and the Commanders are without four key players Sunday.

The final injury report for Week 9 is out. And it features some bad news for the Washington Commanders.

Washington listed four players as out for Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings:

  • WR Jahan Dotson [hamstring]
  • RB J.D, McKissic [neck]
  • LB Cole Holcomb [foot]
  • LB David Mayo [hamstring]

This is the fifth consecutive game that Dotson will miss. There is hope he can go next week on Monday night against the Eagles. Losing Holcomb is a tough blow for the defense. It’s the second straight game he’s missed. Last week, David Mayo stepped in for Holcomb. Unfortunately, Mayo is also banged up and will miss this game.

In Mayo’s absence, veteran Jon Bostic should step in at mike linebacker. Bostic is a liability in the passing game.

McKissic will miss his first game of the season. McKissic missed several games at the end of last season with a neck injury. The Commanders will take a cautious approach with McKissic.

As for the Vikings, defensive lineman Dalvin Tomlinson is out. Cornerback Cam Dantzler and wide receiver Jalen Nailor are questionable.

Commanders place RB Brian Robinson Jr. on non-football injury list

The Commanders announce more roster moves, including adding rookie RB Brian Robinson Jr. to the non-football injury list.

The Washington Commanders placed rookie running back Brian Robinson Jr. on the non-football injury list Thursday morning. Robinson was shot twice on Sunday in an attempted robbery but was released from the hospital on Monday.

Robinson returned to the team’s Ashburn headquarters to meet with team doctors. When the Commanders finalized their initial 53-man roster, they included Robinson until the doctors determined a long-term prognosis for him in 2022.

Robinson will miss at least the first four games of the 2022 season and is eligible to return for Week 5. The Commanders host the Tennessee Titans in Week 5.

Of course, placing Robinson on the NFI list is the best possible outcome because if Robinson is somehow healthy enough to return, he can after four games. However, there is no set deadline for his return, and the Commanders will play it safe and trust the doctors.

In addition to placing Robinson on the NFI list, Washington placed tight end Curtis Hodges on injured reserve with a designation to return. The Commanders officially brought back linebackers David Mayo and Jon Bostic. Mayo was released Wednesday in a procedural move.

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Washington signs veteran linebacker to a contract extension

David Mayo is back for another season in 2022.

The Washington Football Team signed an inside linebacker on Friday. No, Washington didn’t fill its biggest offseason need, but it kept linebacker David Mayo in town for another season with a one-year contract extension.

Mayo, who signed with Washington last March, played 16 games for the WFT in 2021. Mayo mainly was a key contributor on special teams but did move into the starting lineup at inside linebacker late in the season with rookie Jamin Davis struggling. Mayo played reasonably well, allowing Cole Holcomb to play his more natural position as an outside linebacker.

In the Week 16 loss at Dallas, Mayo played every defensive snap, and the following week played 66% of the snaps.

Keeping Mayo was a smart move for Washington. He’s cheap, he knows the defense, is a critical part of special teams and can help the younger linebackers. And, most importantly for head coach Ron Rivera, he’s reliable.